A Good Year

YAHOO!!! YIPPEE!!! My summer vacation has official started! Friday was my last day at the school for this school year. The library doors are closed up tight and I am off for a great summer with my family.

It was a good year with my students...all 650 plus of them. I really do love my job! I enjoy the hugs and unconditional love I get from the kiddos. I love sharing my love of reading with them and getting them hooked on a good book. I love when I stop at "the good parts" of books and hear the kids cry "NO...read some more!" and "Mrs. Wiese, you always stop at the good parts!" I always tell them that it is my job to leave them wanting more. Ha Ha!

The last week of school one of the kids told me I was too young to be a librarian. This made me laugh. I asked them why they said that and they told me that librarian are supposed to be old...35 or older...at least! Ha Ha! Here I am 28 quickly nearing 30 and thinking life has gone much too fast and they still think I am young...I guess this is good. Although, given the day and the eyes of a different child, I am considered old...cause I am older than their parents...WOW!!! Sigh...I love my students.

Even my one 5th grade boy, Alexis, who I butted heads with quite often this year. Some how, he wormed his way into my heart. This child was not always nice to the other kids or staff remembers. He was disrespectful and rude. He was taken out of library class and music class for good, about 3rd quarter for his behavior. I tried having heart to hearts with him instead of sending him to the office...I hardly ever send the behavior kids to the office. The kids know that Mrs. Wiese handles "things" herself. I always told Alexis that he WAS a good kid, but was making poor choices. He would shake his head and say, "Miss, I am not a good kid." I figure that Alexis was told quite often that he was a bad kid and would never make anything of himself. I don't believe that. But the heart to hearts didn't work with him and punishments didn't work with him. So the principal and I decided he would not return to library. But on the last day of school, as the staff was out back, waving good bye to the buses as they pulled away from the school, out pops Alexis' head from the bus window. "Good-bye Mrs. Wiese!!" I took a second look...I could believe that it was Alexis waving! Maybe I was surprised because he was waving with ALL his fingers! Ha Ha! I am hoping that something I said to him, regardless of him not being allowed in the library, stuck with him. I won't see Alexis next year, as he will be in the 6th grade and at the middle school, but I am sure their will be another "Alexis" in my future.

Even kids like Alexis can't keep me down. I have so many great kids that I get a chance to work with every day. This year in one of our 1st grade classes, I got to work with a little boy named Elias. I LOVE THIS KID!! He is such a sweetheart and yet in his eyes you can see the little bit of orneriness. I never had any problems with him, but that could be because he had a crush on me. I didn't know this until one afternoon back in the winter. Mrs. Allen's class (Elias' class) was in the library and we were having our story time. I was sitting in the rocking chair and they were gathered around me listening so carefully to every word I was saying. All of a sudden, Elias, started playing with my engagement/wedding rings on my left hand. I didn't say anything, just kept on reading. I finished up the chapter in our book and was reviewing what we had read and asking for predictions for next time. After that I started giving instructions our next activity and book check out. Elias walked up to the rocking chair after all the kids had started heading in different direction. He looked right at me very serious, holding my hand and said,

"Mrs. Wiese, when I am big and have lots of money, I am going to buy you a pretty ring like that one." Then he pointed to my rings. I told him that was very sweet and chuckled a little. I gave him a hug, told him he was a good kid then off he skipped to check out his book. Later, a little girl came up to check out her book and said,

"Mrs. Wiese, Elias likes you!!" She had a huge smile on her face and was giggling a little. I told her that it was okay because I like all my students. She looked at me like, you dumb lady...I mean LIKES! Elias was in the check out line and was turning red...poor kid. I felt so bad for him. I told her not to worry about it any more. The little girl went to her seat. Later when it was Elias' turn I told him that it was nice that he liked me and he should like LOTS of people. He smiled and went to read his new book. I love 1st graders...they crack me up!

I will enjoy my summer so much and will love being with Emma and Caleb. And no doubt, I will drag my feet heading back to work in August. When all is said and done, I love my students and job. And I will have a zillion more cute and frustrating stories to add to my collection.